There aren’t easy games in the NFL and there definitely aren’t easy divisional games. Yesterday’s win against the Falcons can come with all the caveats it wants to about Atlanta not being a great team, but the Panthers won an ugly game against a division rival. That’s a big deal coming off of a four-week losing slide that didn’t seem to have an end in sight. It's amazing what can happen when your quarterback isn't responsible for bafflingly chaotic plays. Combine that with one of the best unit performances by the offensive line this season, plus a return to form by the defense, and you get a win that had warts but also showed promise.
The Optimist: .500 rarely feels this good
